Kottayam: The no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition LDF against Pala municipality chairperson Diya Binu Pulickakandam, the youngest municipal chairperson in India, has dealt a major setback to the UDF, which has now lost control of the civic body.
The political equations shifted dramatically after four Congress councillors attended the council meeting in defiance of the party whip. Deputy chairperson Maya Rahul, an Independent councillor who had pledged support to the UDF, also attended the meeting.
The presence of the four Congress councillors and Maya Rahul proved decisive. All 12 LDF councillors were present, and the no-confidence motion was carried with the support of five UDF councillors who backed the move to remove Diya from office.
The 21-year-old Diya was elected chairperson with the support of her father, Binu Pulickakandam, and uncle, Biju Pulickakandam, who contested as part of an independent collective. Their backing enabled the UDF to take control of the 26-member Pala municipality from the Kerala Congress (M), ending the party's long-standing dominance of the civic body.
The UDF-led alliance currently has 14 councillors, while the LDF has 12 members, comprising 10 Kerala Congress (M) councillors and two CPI(M) members.